By Dr Philip McConachy BVSc

Will you join Pound Road Veterinary clinic in putting a stop to deadly heartworm by treating your dogs? Heartworm is a deadly worm that is unlike any other worms you may have heard of; it does not affect our pet’s tummies by living in them and is not passed on through their faeces. Did you know? Heartworm is in fact spread by mosquito’s, the mosquito will bite the dog and pass it onto the next unsuspecting dog by biting them too. This will inject the disease into your dog’s blood stream. Unless we work out a way to stop mosquito’s biting all together, which would be a dream come true for all of us especially in summer, we cannot stop potential exposure of this disease. Heartworm migrates from wherever on the body the host has bitten into the abdomen approximately 3 weeks later. It will move into the dog’s lungs and heart after approximately 3 months, where at this stage they are about 1-2 inches in size… disturbing we know!! Heartworm is potentially deadly, and in most cases almost impossible to treat. The female worm can increase in length by almost tenfold (up to 25cm). Understandably, should this be in your dogs heart, it can prevent your dogs heart from functioning properly causing heart failure. While surgical removal and supportive therapy may be possible at specialist institutions, this is rarely done and more likely the cause of heart failure may never be discovered… or at least not until it’s too late. The scariest part is… Heartworm IS present in Victoria; there have been recent studies that have shown heartworm is present in all states of Australia! In Victoria, a 2013 study discovered heartworm to be in 4% of foxes tested. Given that foxes are not the natural host of heartworm, the prevalence in non-protected dogs is likely to be even higher. Although it is more prevalent in tropical regions heartworm has been found in Victoria. While heartworm is very much dependant on temperature for its development, microclimates in urban environments such as car parks with warm cars or 24hour lights can provide favorable environments even in cooler periods of the year.

Bowel Obstructions By Dr Philip McConachy BVSc

Unfortunately dogs and cats cannot brush their own teeth like we do.

Does your cat live indoors? Does your cat decide play time is at 3 or 4 am in the morning? Does your cat attack your ankles and hang off your hands when they play? Has your furniture been shred to pieces?

3. If you are insuring a dog, make sure that both cruciate ligaments are covered ie. if you make a claim on a ruptured cruciate ligament and your dog later ruptures the other cruciate ligament (as often happens) you need to make sure that the second one will be covered under your policy also. 4. Diagnostics are covered ever when no definitive diagnosis is made. If you would like a recommendation for a good pet insurance company, please feel free to phone us on 9799 1479.

In the last blog, I discussed fussiness in pets.

Looking for a tiny kitten pedalling its soft paws on your chest with a storm of purrs to follow? This following article may be of help to you.